


Gotham Heights

by Korkyra



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Smallville, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Bonding, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, Character Study, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Jason Todd Deserves Happiness, Jason Todd gets happiness, M/M, Past Violence, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Trauma, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25932640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Korkyra/pseuds/Korkyra
Summary: In which Red hood flirts with Superboy, but Jason Todd dates him.
Relationships: Bart Allen & Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent & Cassie Sandsmark, Duke Thomas & Jason Todd, Kon-El | Conner Kent/Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown & Duke Thomas
Comments: 2
Kudos: 124





	Gotham Heights

The night started out slow.

Nightwing reported some kids breaking into a hangar on dare, Red Robin scanned the police radio for something to do, Oracle, turned Batgirl again, busied herself with music as she hacked away through dubious contents of various servers but nothing of significance popped up, One True Robin(TM) had been away with the Titan's, Signal called in to get ready for the gala since it was his turn this week to accompany Bruce as nothing seemed to be going on, Steph was unfortunately down with a cold and Cass decided to spend some time with her, jumping at Steph's every sneeze.

The small talk they all had over the communicators died some time ago, leaving Red Hood with a comfortable silence. The couple of last weeks had them all busy on all levels, with one or two people slipping their fingers, but they would turn up sooner or later, no one escapes the dark allure of this city to brag escaping its notorious vigilante family for long.

The hour dragged itself at a leisurely pace, the humidity easing with the cooler air seeping between the streets from the bay. Right across it, Metropolis sparkled like the stones Catwoman so adored showing no signs of slowing down. Gotham, on the other hand, seemed like it sunk into a peculiar darkness, hiding from the offending lights of the neighbouring city.

Gotham had gotten better over the years, no little thanks to their efforts, along with Bruce's more public projects going on. With Dick still officially occupying Blüdhaven, considering moving back to Gotham, Tim taking over the technology part of the family business, Damian seriously considering vet school, Jason miraculously getting better after that horrid encounter with the Joker which left him catatonic for a year, Bruce along with him - figuratively speaking - then four years of intense recovery programs, had the second youngest Wayne heir thinking things over more serious than the rest.

After that first year, the fact that he couldn't be Robin, not after what happened, sat heavily upon him. With Bruce freaking out and them fighting over it until Bruce bled mentally, not that Jason was in any better shape, left him in pieces he couldn't pick up in this place. To the families immense relief, he had enrolled into college the following fall. What had them worried was him not speaking to any of them, Tim's efforts resulting in Jason hurling something at him which had Bruce begging Tim not to get near him, at least not yet. It hurt on so many levels, but Tim would leave him alone.

When Jason would crush his third bug attempt, he'd really leave him alone. Babs was the only person he could tolerate for a short period of time and she wouldn't push it. Getting a pic of Jason's recent trip around he world would put her mind at rest but she wouldn't dare send anything more than a smiley or some offhand comment.

Roy appointed himself to follow him at a safe distance when Jason started getting himself into a few situations with local drug cartels and entire governments with his papers for criminology classes until they sent people after him, only to have them return either crippled, in pieces, or not at all. Black Canary and Starfire would check up on him from time to time. Upon graduating, he just vanished. A full year passed and no one knew where he was.

Three months into his disappearance, Bruce had started receiving extensive projects for Gotham's development and children welfare programs. Having gained some wisdom over the years dealing with Jason, he didn't even try to find out where those came from but went to implement them. Sure, he had obligatory parental worry diarrhoea in between receiving those coming in regularly every three to five weeks, but that uneasiness and uncertainty he always had when thinking about Jason slowly diminished.

When Jason finally did come back, in person, things had smoothed out, to a degree. Joker had managed to kill something in Jay, but his compassion for the world wasn't it. He came back to Gotham, looking upon it from another perspective, taking over his own projects running all over the city, becoming Wayne's most successful son in the eyes of Gotham's elite. The son who came from nothing, graduated college, had taken over the foundations Dick gladly agreed upon, spent his time making the streets a safer place for children and caring parents all the while collecting rare editions as a past time.

Also, cleared the streets in ways Batman never would as Red Hood, but that was between Red Hood and Batman to sort out. Bruce loved his son very much.

No one missed the Joker, anyway.

Unfortunately, that clown wasn't the only thing plaguing this city. Some of them supported Batman's idea of just needing help, the others were Red Hood's game. There had been a tense silent agreement on their disagreement, seeing how neither would back down from their justice system, but so far this odd power balance seemed to - work.

Then, Jason met Kon.

More precisely, Red Hood met Superboy.

Which gave Superman a headache, Batman a tiny aneurysm, and made Luthor about ten years younger with all the amusement he saw in this ordeal.

Dark, pissed, and tragic met sunshine, sass, and flowers. Quite literally. Superboy randomly dropped out of the skies to greet Red Hood, completely oblivious to the dark aura around him, with actual flowers in hand, giving him a big bright "Hey- Nice to meet you!" before Superman pulled him back by the arm going something along the lines "no, no, no, we don't get close-" at which Batman took offence, asking what his deal was.

Later that week, Jason Peter Todd Wayne met Kon El Luthor, Lex Luthor's pride and joy golden child and Kal El's hope for the future of Luthor not destroying everything and him not being doomed to be the last of his line, despite his holographic parent telling him otherwise. Personally, he loved teaching Kon whatever he could about himself and rediscover some of the legacy of Krypton with the boy in the Fortress.

(Lex took it up with holographic Kryptonian elder in the Fortress when Jor El decided to pull out some weird analysis machine to examine the wonder of two different species, by his book. It had been nice not to be the main focus of Lex's rage for once.)

Kon had been a piece of work, Jason would discover soon enough. Being labelled not to seem "so stuck up of a jerk" was a great start. Letting Jason so kindly into his secret of knowing who he his alter ego was had been less than pleasant but welcome honesty as well.

Tim had coffee all over himself laughing his ass off whenever those two were in the same room.

_His all time favourite being that one evening when Red Robin and Superboy had a slow night of their own and decided to have a chat on a less than stable rooftop of an old brick factory in Gotham, passing time talking about random subjects. Until Superboy thought it a good idea to lean on the brick wall, fall through it, get extra tangled into Ivy's newest plant life down below with the woman walking over to help him out. Apparently, she had no intention of being evil that evening._

_"Hold still, kid, you're making things worse." She said, trying to untangle him from the mess. "All those rooftops, and you chose to land here?"_

_Her vines, however, seemed to like being tangled around him. Ivy huffed._

_"Will you knock it off-"_

_The loud screech of the metal door was as unpleasant as nails against a blackboard and disrespectful ingrates trampling all over the greenery around the world, revealing Red Hood and Arsenal behind it, not looking amused. Yes, she was aware of how things looked. She also made note to deal with the brat on the top wheezing at the whole situation._

_"Hands off, Ivy, or the place gets it." Red Hood droned, eyes trained on her holding the vine oh so gracefully circling around Superboy's neck._

_"...it's not how it looks likE NOW HOLD IT RED HOOD WHAT THE DAISIES?!?" Ivy shouts as Red Hood lights a match._

_"I'm not kidding, Ivy." He states, calm enough to receive a worried look from Arsenal._

_"Put that down!" Ivy's grip on the vine tightens, which wasn't a good idea, given Superboy started to look a little off colour._

_"Stop trying to strangle him and we'll talk."_

_"I'm not trying to strangle him!"_

_"Not what I'm seeing from over here."_

_"YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" She yells at the vines, which listen this time and release Superboy, who's coughing up, drinking in air. Of all times in the known universe, his powers decided to act up now._

_Red Hood honours his words and waves the match out before walking in._

_"You okay there?" He asks Superboy, who's still lying on the floor, heaving._

_Whatever Superboy tried to tell him was cut short by him swallowing hard, turning an alarming shade of green, this time._

_"...dude, I think he's sick." Arsenal offers, wisely._

_Ivy never looked so miserable in her life._

_Outside the building, Superboy regained a somewhat healthier complexion._

_"Damn my powers..." He muttered, holding a damp cloth on the back of his neck. He did not need enhanced sense of smell to hit him right now. He had a feeling the smell of chlorophyll would never get out of his nose and head._

_Red Robin managed to get down without greater issues._

_"I'm so sorry." He said as he approached Superboy, trying to stifle his laugh. "Is there anything I could get you?"_

_"Something to wash this green out of my nose?" Superboy asks, not moving much in fear his nausea would return._

_"How's this?" Both hear Red Hood behind them, Red Robin turning to him as he approached with a small cosmetics container. When he opened it, Superboy seemed to breathe easier._

_"Ivy sends it." Hood explains as he crouches next to him. "She didn't think it would come this far." He adds, smearing a bit of that stuff under Superboy's nose. "Better?"_

_"...yeah."_

_"Good."_

Granted, Tim should have reacted more quickly, but Red Hood's and Arsenal's timing at opening the door in that exact moment took the cake.

One situation followed another, who knew they'd meet so many times over this or that project, Superboy, or rather, Kon had taken up other things beside helping out the League which gave him more joy and a deeper sense of existing than beating up threats and dealing with the ugly side of things. Not to mention putting a stop between his biological parents before some fights even began, he just didn't want to deal with it. That alone coloured some people impressed, while some others would forever have their doubts. Good thing Lex put in extra effort to raise this child confident in himself above all else. Little shook him, and what did, he managed majestically. Still, there were times he needed a kind word, a shoulder to lean on when the world became too heavy. Tim, Bart, and Cassie had been great friends.

Jason...turned out to be a bit more than that. On a deeper level.

Tim had been Tim about it, Bart was happy for Kon with a bit of caution but trusting him to know what he was doing, Cassie...lost her shit that one time, they didn't speak for a while after that, but eventually came to terms with it, making Kon promise to tell them if he needed anything. Kon promised, of course, but what they didn't yet get was that he had all he needed. Cassie's friendship with all her worries included. Tim had been cross with her a little longer, not that he didn't know where her arguments came from, but still.

Superboy had been somewhat deep in thought that evening, going over some things. Metropolis seemed trouble free, at least the kind needing his intervention. Not that it would matter soon, he had a thing to attend to, starting at ten. He had some time to kill until then, so why not pay a visit to the dark side?

"...I had him, thank you very much." Red Hood quips, pursing his lips. Superboy hovering slightly off the edge of the building with the culprit Hood had chased around for a while out cold, leaned against the wall.

"No doubt you had." He smiles sweetly, leaning forward. "I was just in the neighbourhood."

He's probably the only half alien around who ignores Batman's rules about met-humans that elegantly when flying over whenever he pleases. Red Hood could see why Superman bleached slightly whenever he took the time to mentor this one. It amused the Gotham vigilante to no end though.

"Wouldn't want to end up late for my date this evening." Superboy smiles.

"I don't know, I don't think that would be so terrible." Hood shrugs.

"Isn't that considered rude?" 

"All I'm saying is you could consider another thing." 

"Which is?" Superboy tilts his head to the side, landing fully on the brick lining.

"Dump his ass and go with me instead."

At this, Superboy actually laughs. Such a nice sound.

"...didn't think you'd be the type." He says, eyes bright with amusement.

"What type?" Hood plays none the wiser, easing up on his stance.

Those bright blue eyes lock upon him.

"Jealous."

"Jealous?" Hood blinks although it's concealed by his mask. "Me? You got something confused here."

"Did I?" 

"You did." Hood assures him. "I wouldn't resort to jealousy, of all things."

"How honest of you." Superboy takes a step away from the edge.

"What is the point of lies?"

The look in those alien eyes changes, voice dropping an octave or two, as he speaks next.

"I wouldn't like to get your hopes up, we're doing just fine."

At which Red Hood raises both hands up in a placating manner.

"Let me know if it goes south, then."

Kon merely offers another one of his charming smiles.

"Need a hand with this one?" Superboy motions at the guy still out cold, or just excellent at pretending he is.

"No, I got this." Nothing a good whack over the head can't fix, however.

"Okay."

"..you should go, don't miss your date."

"See you around, Hood."

"Tell your boyfriend he's a lucky bastard." Hood shoots after him as Superboy takes off.

"I'll make sure he knows." He shouts back with a laugh.

Speaking of dates...

It may have been Duke's turn to hang out with Bruce for a social gathering, but that didn't mean Jason was off the hook. This particular event would gather a few known good doers along with the pretentious ones, but seeing how the main topic was one of his latest playground for kindergarten's projects that would make sure future kindergartens would have to have room for a playground and not just stuff kids into a big enough house and be done with it. Adding new one to existing structures will prove a feat considering there was usually no space left, the city planning didn't make room for it or the local authority decided to grand permissions for parking lots instead of leaving some space for the kids. Not to mention other implications such as finances going everywhere but the thing they were intended to, but that's a battle for another day. Martha Wayne didn't invest during her lifetime to promote shopping centres, parking lost or failed constructions all over the city.

Two conversations down and Babs was already tearing certain big shots servers and offshore accounts apart. Finally, something for her to do this evening.

Sparkling water in had instead of wine with the pretences of having the latter, Jason stood next to Duke who looked absolutely exhausted. Both dressed up with properly polished shoes.

"Are their asses _ever_ jealous of the shit coming out their mouths?" Duke asks, voice low, making Jason laugh.

"I sincerely doubt it, Duke." He offers him a plate with some food on it.

"Thanks, man." Duke says as he takes some tiny sandwiches that weren't cucumber off the plate. "Where did you find these? All I saw up till now is flavourless paper food."

"I know the chef. He smuggled this for us."

"I'm never leaving the house without dinner again." Duke mutters before taking a bite. The spice in the cream cheese spread was divine.

"Yeah, next time Alfred offers, do take it seriously." Jason advises, taking a bite of his own choice.

"Noted." The younger mutters over his next one.

One light musical piece later, the room becomes noisy, with the ladies paying close attention to what must be the latest arrival of guests. Five of them started getting up on their toes to get a better look over the commotion that started.

Duke was on his third baguette piece when it dawned upon him.

"Kon's here."

"Oh, you've noticed?" Jason teases.

"Poor dude can't walk into a room without having ten people minimum turning their heads around." Duke frowns. "Are they that dense or didn't get the memo?"

"I'd go with they're ignoring it." Jason shrugs.

"Pull one of your Austen shit on them." 

That one never failed to cause an uproar and make them all back away. First time it happened Bruce almost spit his champagne through his nose and sadly only Dick was there to witness it. Before that, none of his kids wanted anywhere near these events save Dick and Tim because Dick was the eldest and Tim had this experience from earlier but even they looked like they'd rather eat glass.

Granted, rose gold iPhone Bruce was amusing. However, not even him falling off his yacht gathered that much interest as Jason dealing with persistent people around Luthor's only son who so happened to be his favourite one as well. Kal El looked like he had Kryptonite showed down his ears but Lex couldn't get his shit together when Jason flat out quoted Elisabeth Bennet's "I will never marry you" speech but adjusted to the situation at hand before grabbing Kon's hand and walking out with him. One had to know what the hell was he on about but to those who did, it was a evening well spent.

Jason gave it a thought. "If the occasion arises..."

Duke raises a brow at him.

"You seriously think they'll let him walk past them?"

As if on cue, two people move, revealing three out of the five ladies tip toeing gathered around Kon with some polite questions they absolutely had to ask right then.

Jason blinks.

"Yeah, you're absolutely right." He says as he leaves his glass with Duke, walking down the three little steps, crossing the distance in record time. Duke left it all on the nearest table to follow after him. This should be fun.

Kon did have things under control, though the three ladies were equally persistent.

"I'm flattered, my ladies, but I'm here to meet-"

"Oh, we know." The first one interrupts, barely containing herself from rolling her eyes.

"You can spare a few minutes with us, can't you?" The second one bats her eyelashes at him.

"I'd love to hear your opinion on the matter!" The third began, nearly swooning from delight.

Before all three could latch themselves on Kon, Jason was there, taking Kon's hand, bringing it to his lips.

"Evening, love." He greets, voice low, attention solely on him.

"...evening." Kon greets back, wide smile already in place.

Duke lost it when the third lady downright squealed in ecstatic with the first two giving her a look as if she had grown an extra head.

"...we should have left her in the other room." The first sighs tiredly.

"..." The second woman couldn't even.

Turning back to their target, they've noticed the two of them weren't even in the room anymore.

"...how do they do that?!?"

Two doors down, Duke is already on his phone texting rapidly to share the latest news to Steph, poor thing was in dire need of some distraction from her horrid cold. Steph's cold ridden enthusiasm for more details didn't disappoint. Bruce spotted him from where he stood and had an idea of what might have transpired, seeing that specific amusement on Duke's face. Oh, well, at least he was having fun and no one bothered Bruce about it. Yet.

Behind a ridiculously sized waterfall sculpture on separating the dance podium from the more secluded rest area were Jason and Kon, each peeking on their side whether anyone was following them. It didn't seem like it.

"One of these days, I'll be able to walk in without this happening." Kon say as he sits down on the edge of the sculpture.

Jason has his doubts about it. He, too, thought that about himself when he came back to Gotham back then, but he was still a curiosity to a good deal of them. Not always of the good kind.

"Hungry?" He asks instead.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you." Kon says. "Today was slow. Just one assistance in Gotham."

"Mhm..." Jason smiles, knowingly. "Word has it you wander over a lot."

Kon merely smiles.

"By the way, Hood has a message for you."

"Does he?"

"Yes. He sends his regards and wants you to know you're a lucky one."

"...you sure that's how he phrased it?"

"He might have mentioned taking your spot."

Jason sits next to him, intertwining their fingers. "I'll make sure he knows I'd take him on any day of the week."

Kon laughs fully at that.

"You really don't have to." He says as he leans against Jason's shoulder. "Did I miss anything?"

"The usual suck up speeches." Jason leans his cheek on top of Kon's soft curls. He could smell the winds and sea in them.

"Babs is researching a few of them, though."

Kon closes his eyes, the traces of gunpowder on him hidden behind the cologne he's wearing. It's not fresh, but there.

"Think they could have something to do with the ones who got away last week?" The meta-human asks, nuzzling his face into Jason's warm neck.

"...maybe." Kon's lips are hot against his bare skin. "Right now, i just want to make sure this clause passes next month's vote."

"That's a lot of work." Kon muses as he places a soft kiss behind Jason's ear.

"I'm thinking no more than twenty people and half the town hall." Jason closes his eyes, enjoying the feeling.

"Need help with that?"

"Have something in mind?"

"I'm hearing thre-four- reasons why your idea just might work."

_My, my..._

"Didn't they tell you not to eavesdrop?"

"Didn't they tell you who raised me?"

Both had to stifle a laugh.

"I suggest we catch the mayor's secretary." Kon offers once they've calmed down. "I think he's our best shot this evening."

"I'll ask Duke. He'll have him right where we want him, give or take an hour."

"The wife of the contracting company CEO and the husband of the city planning department's head."

"We can handle them."

"Would Mr Wayne take care of the Holly Inc siblings? They're quite fond of him. And his phone."

"That sounds like fun."

"They say they love his twitter."

If only all of their problems would be taken care of this easily. He didn't have this exact development in mind when he arrived here, but why not take advantage when he had it.

"Excellent. Shall we?"

"Lead the way."

To be fair, leaving that perfectly secluded spot was the last thing he wanted to do, especially with Kon being that affectionate. If they played this right, they wouldn't waste the entire evening on this issue.

Duke had his target in the sack under an hour, Bruce spun the Holly siblings with excellent twitter shit posting, Kon had city planning department husband charmed, and Jason had Mrs CEO telling him discreetly that he had to fail through two voting until enough scandal could be unearthed "accidentally" before he'd have his wish granted by the third vote. If he was interested. That didn't sit with him, but he'd take the offer. Duke and Kon came back with a small list of people worth looking into, Bruce gathered all information and asked Babs to check it out, and run it in the basement. Tim would pull a few of his contacts, as well.

Whether or not this would turn out as it was promised, mattered not. They had a few tricks up their sleeves, but never underestimate your spouse. Matrimonial revenge was best served cold it would seem, and if Jason could get his way through it, hell why wouldn't he lend an ear to a lonely woman. He even slipped her contact information should she need assistance or settlement. She thanked him politely. Jason couldn't shake of the feeling he just gave her an excuse to crush her husband. Always happy to help.

"I think we did well for a first step." Kon observes, standing outside the building, breathing in the fresh late night air.

"I agree." Jason steps closer, putting his jacket over Kon's shoulders. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"Are you tired?" Jason asks.

"Not in particular. Why?" Kon asks, leaning back, resting the back of his head on Jason's shoulder.

Jason's arms wrap tightly around him, pulling him close against his chest, leaving a trail of heated kisses down his neck. Kon nearly purrs at the feeling.

_"Would you like to continue where we left off?"_

**Author's Note:**

> A few things:
> 
> \- Kal El is Superman, in need of a break. Loves Kon but lets Lex take care of him as per agreement and not to neglect him for his duties to save the world, while Lex would burn it if it would make Kon happy. (Thankfully, it wouldn't).  
> \- Lex Luthor has an agenda against Kryptonian technology and hologram Jor El. Has a knee jerk to Superman and is basically a fussy cat who does shit Superman tells him he shouldn't. Will scheme your demise if he doesn't like you.  
> \- Bruce Wayne has a twitter account, a rose gold iPhone and falls off of yachts, can be caught arguing with his alter ego Batman.  
> \- Jason didn't die but had to deal with shit anyway.  
> \- Kon was hologram Jor El's idea and while Lex adores his son, he directs all his hate towards the hologram, instead of Superman. Can be a little shit when provoked but is actually a little muffin mix.  
> \- Joker has been detained permanently, but I leave to you to imagine how - could be dead, could be at the bottom of the Marianna trench in a box, pick your favourite


End file.
